GUEST POST – Tangy Tomato Porichcha Rasam.( Tomato broth with roasted spices simmered to perfection)

This post comes to  you straight from the middle of the world, all the way from Ghana, from a very good blogger friend and my guide in so many culinary aspects – Lata Raja.of Flavours & Tastes, ..Yes, lets hear it for her!!! I had always wanted the authentic tamil recipe for Poricha Rasam and [...]

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Thiruvadharai Upperi – Vegetables steamed and spiced with coconut chilli paste.

The complimenting Neivedhyam for Thiruvadharai Kali would be the Upperi or rather a version of select steamed vegetables, spiced generously with ground coconut and green chillies.  The Upperi as I remember is a combination of various tubers and roots that are combined and cooked to get the most delicious preparation. I remember as a child, [...]

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Thiruvadharai – Significance & Learnings – Naivethyams.

Every year, the month of “Marghazi” is of very special significance as it heralds new beginnings, the new year, the music season in Tamil Nadu made redolent with the myraid  performances of senior music stalwarts in the various halls, Vaikunta Ekadasi, and of course Thiruvadharai.  When I actually embarked on the significance of this day [...]

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Easy & Wholesome Coconut Sevai using Instant Rice Noodles.

Coconut is an integral part of my cooking but I have particularly brought down the levels of coconut on account of health concerns. My gradmother on the other had is of the opinion that anything had in small quantities can never be too much. Its only when you consume too much of anything, does it [...]

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Vazhakkai Podimas (Raw Banana half cooked,grated, and spiced with powders)

Vazhakkai as in Raw Bananas already mentioned are a favourite in my family. They are readily available and when properly preserved in the refrigerator, almost stays fresh for a week or more. I never make raw bananas the day I buy them,  unless I am tempted to slice them to topple in hot oil to [...]

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Pumpkin & Cucumber Molagootal. (Ash Gourd & Cucumber cooked with coconut and spices)

Many days the staple diet at home, when I was growing up, used to be Pumpkin Molagootal. I guess it was cooked so often as it was pretty easy to make, uses less ingredients, and since the main vegetble is Pumpkin, its a very healthy preparation. On a day when you would want to eat [...]

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Tamarind Sevai (Real Rice Sevai flavoured with tamarind and spices)

I had already posted Tamarind Sevai or Puli Sevai in my previous post using rice sticks. But having actually made the fresh Sevai, I decided to go all the way and flavour it with tamarind just like I normally do. There are days, when you really go through the pantry, wondering what to cook, and [...]

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Sevai – (Steamed Rice Noodles made from scratch)

Just the name conjures up so many memories of my childhood and of my grandmother and mother toiling in the kitchen, on saturday afternoons to make delicous sevai for all of us for the evening as well as for the night.  Sevai was always thought as “labourious” as we were in a lovely joint family [...]

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Kerala Style Ten Minute Mango Morkuzhambu.

Morkuzhambu, better known to the others as “Kadi”, is a typical kerala gravy thats very fabulously easy to make as well as bursting with flavours. It can be made with any vegetable in it, typically with ash gourd or plantain, and definitely seasoned with “manathangalikka vethal” or “sundakkai vethal” but I vary the vegetables  with [...]

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Manga Kuzhambu (Raw mango simmered in a coconut-yoghurt gravy with seasonings)

Mango Kuzhambu (Manga Kootan) is one of those typical kerala gravies that I love to make. This is one dish that’s simple, bursting with flavours and can be made in a jiffy. All you need is a nice tangy raw mango and a few minutes and ou have this amazing kuzhambu ready. Without any further [...]

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